NewsLocal looks at 10+ most memorable football moments in NSW of 2023
It was a history making year for football in 2023. Check out our top moments, from the Matildas’ World Cup success to local stars shining on the big stage.
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2023 was a history-making year for football.
The Matildas became the most successful Australian national team when they came fourth at the Women’s World Cup, selling out stadiums and bringing the nation together.
Meanwhile the Mariners ended a decade-long title drought and young stars were thrust into the spotlight to make history for themselves.
Check out NewsLocal’s most memorable moments from NSW in what was a year to go down in history.
Mariners fairytale championship
The Central Coast Mariners had a rough few years in the A-League Men’s, taking home four wooden spoons going through six managers before settling on former captain Nick Montgomery.
After being the only NSW team to make the finals series in 2022, the Mariners did one better in 2023 and booked their ticket to the Grand Final.
What was expected to be a close battle with runaway premiers Melbourne City turned into a Mariners masterclass, who scored six goals to City’s one to collect the Championship trophy for the first time in 10 years.
APL Grand Final backflip
The Australian Premier League’s decision to sell the men’s and women’s A-League Grand Finals to the NSW Government sparked protests in 2022 and calls for boycotts of the deciders.
After just one season of Sydney automatically hosting the grand finals, the APL spectacularly backflipped and announced a reinstatement of the tradition where the matches are hosted by the highest-placed team at the end of the season.
In an effort not to completely scrap the deal with the NSW Government, an A-Leagues ‘Unite Round’ will be held in Sydney in 2024 instead as a celebration of football.
Macarthur Rams go back-to-back
Macarthur Rams entered the 2023 NPL NSW Women’s season with one goal in mind: to claim back-to-back championships.
The Rams were dominant in the final stages of the season, going undefeated in 17 matches to narrowly miss out on the premiership plate to APIA Leichhardt on their way to the finals.
After defeating NWS Spirit in the semis, they set up a date with newcomers and local Macarthur rivals Bulls FC Academy in the decider.
A tense battle for the trophy ended in a 2-0 Rams victory thanks to two late goals from super sub Leena Khamis and ecstatic scenes from the Macarthur crowd.
Inter Lions make Australia Cup history
NSW League One side Inter Lions FC produced a major upset against NPL NSW Men’s premiership hopefuls Rockdale Ilinden FC to book a coveted spot in the Australia Cup round of 32 in 2023 for the first time in its history.
They were drawn to play Northern Territory side Hellenic Athletic and travelled to the Top End where they won in dominant fashion 6-0, with a brace for Owen Duke and Oliver Green as well as goals for Sam Armson and Tom Quilligan to move on to the round of 16.
They fell 1-0 to South Australian team Metrostars 1-0, but their appearance in the Australia Cup finals series put the team on the national stage.
Balgownie and Shellharbour crowned Champions of Champions
It was a massive year for football in the Illawarra, capped off by Shellharbour under-18s and Balgownie under-14s taking home the Champion of Champions titles.
Shellharbour JFC finished their 2023 season undefeated and were decisive 3-0 victors against Manly Vale in the decider.
It was their fifth trophy of the year, after claiming the youth league minor premiership, youth league grand final win, State Cup win and IWPL Club Championship.
Meanwhile the Balgownie JFC also celebrated an undefeated season with a 2-0 grand final victory over Eschol Park, claiming their fourth trophy of the year.
Matildas inspire record-breaking World Cup
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup made history in multiple areas, including being the first World Cup to be hosted by two nations in Australia and New Zealand.
After the success of the Socceroos at their own World Cup in 2022, all eyes were on the Matildas to replicate the success and they well and truly delivered.
The team set the scene for what was to come in their opening match against the Republic of Ireland, which broke the record for the largest-ever attendance of a women’s soccer match in Australia with a crowd 75,784 packing into Stadium Australia to watch the 1-0 Matildas victory.
Similar sold-out crowds were seen supporting the Tillies throughout the rest of their historic World Cup campaign, inspiring the nation and setting up a new love of football across the country.
A-League Women benefits from the Matilda effect
The A-Leagues were determined to capitalise on the success of the Women’s World Cup before the competition even started, announcing a new team and a full home-and-away season for 2023-24.
The hype around seeing the Matildas stars on the national stage cultivated in the domestic women’s football match attendance record to be broken not once, but twice in 2023.
Sydney FC’s ALW grand final triumph against Western United was attended by 9,519 fans at CommBank Stadium and although many fans received free tickets, it was a massive achievement for the league.
It was to be broken only months later in the opening round of the ALW season, when 11,571 people flocked to watch a massive Sydney derby pitting Sydney FC against the Western Sydney Wanderers.
A solid crowd for the F3 derby the day prior resulted in the highest weekend crowd in the league’s history.
“National” Second Division confirmed
Football Australia made big strides in expanding domestic competitions in 2023, announcing a National Second Tier (NST) would be introduced in 2025 and calling for applicants.
Despite the initial hype for more football, the confirmation of the eight teams to feature in the inaugural competition brought a heap of controversy.
Although it is advertised as a national tier, the approved teams represent only two states in NSW and Victoria.
APIA Leichhardt, Marconi Stallions FC, Sydney Olympic FC, Sydney United 58 FC and Wollongong Wolves FC would represent NSW, while Victorian teams Avondale FC, Preston Lions and South Melbourne FC were approved.
The decision caused outrage in football fans across all states and territories and the initial excitement from the announcement was quickly replaced by annoyance.
15-year-old breaks records in ALW grand final
It was a record breaking year for young Sydney FC star Indiana Dos Santos.
In March, aged just 15 years and 117 days, Dos Santos became the youngest player in Sydney FC’s history to make their A-Leagues debut when she was substituted on during the team’s 4-0 win over Western United.
She scored her first professional goal just weeks later against Perth and has been representing the Junior Matildas in various qualification matches throughout the year.
She reached another major milestone in Sydney’s A-League Women’s triumph, making an appearance aged 15 years and 206 days to become the youngest player to take to the field in a grand final in A-Leagues history.
Football NSW launch new women’s tournament
Football NSW were very vocal on their plans to boost participation in women and girls on the back of the World Cup, announcing a brand new knock-out tournament for NPL NSW and League One teams.
The Sapphire Cup is similar to the men’s tournament the Waratah Cup and was widely praised by players and fans alike, saying it was a huge step forward for parity, equality and inclusion for women’s football.
The aim was to remedy the low visibility women’s football had compared to men and encourage participation in one of the biggest sports in the country.
APIA Leichhardt took out the inaugural championship, defeating Northern Tigers 2-1 to claim the title, and there are already talks of expanding the competition to the national level similar to the Australia Cup.
Sienna Dale dominates National Youth Championships with NSW Metro
In the midst of an incredible undefeated run to the National Youth Championship trophy, Manly United youngster Sienna Dale rose above it all.
The NSW Metro U16s side only conceded two goals during their campaign in Wollongong in October as they ran away with the trophy, with Dale scoring five times during the run including a hat-trick against Northern NSW.
Her efforts earned her the U16 player of the tournament, and capped off an incredible year for the 16-year-0ld, who featured in Manly United’s NSW NPL Women’s first team and lined up for the Junior Matildas.
Mariners rejoin top tier women’s football
The A-League Women’s expansion for the 2023-24 season paved the way for the Central Coast Mariners to finally rejoin the competition, 14 years after their inaugural season.
Local junior Annalise Rasmussen was the first confirmed signing for the new team, which brought in NPL veteran coach Emily Husband to lead the side.
Their first win came in the second round, where the Mariners defeated Adelaide United 1-2, but made headlines a month later when Rasmussen scored her first professional goal in front of a hometown crowd to earn the community club their first win at Gosford in 14 years.
Sitting in ninth place after six matches, with a game in hand, the Mariners have their sights firmly set on a first finals berth in their comeback season.
Steve Corica brings Sydney FC to new heights, before being sacked
After a few years in the A-League Men’s mid-pack, Sydney FC finally brought home some silverware when they overpowered Brisbane Roar 3-1 in the Australia Cup final.
Brazilian striker Fabio Gomes netted a brace on his debut and the Sky Blues managed to overpower Brisbane despite going down 1-0 in the early stages.
The Australia Cup success was quickly overshadowed at the beginning of the ALM season, where Sydney floundered near the bottom of the table with three consecutive losses and no goals to start their campaign.
On November 7 the club confirmed coach Steve Corica had left the team which he originally joined in 2018, and won multiple premierships and championships with.
Former Wellington Victory coach Ufuk Talay replaced him at the helm, with the team showing improvement but still stagnant at the bottom in their first few matches under new leadership.
Female Football Festival launched in Kiama
Sydney FC were also keen to capitalise on the added interest in women’s football this year, launching the inaugural Female Football Festival at Kiama Sports Park in April.
Over 300 young female footballers attended the two day event, including youth internationals Tahlia Franco, Mary Stanic-Floody and local Shellharbour sisters Indiana and Jynaya Dos Santos.
Seven-a-side mini matches took place over the weekend, and Sydney FC said it’s hopeful to make the event an annual occurrence.
Originally published as NewsLocal looks at 10+ most memorable football moments in NSW of 2023
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